The Outsider
by gracelikescats17
Summary: Clover doesn't recognize the girl who was her best friend back in Reseda. The new Cassie Blake has a secret, and Clover won't stop until she figures it out. Even if she has to come to a town with dangerous secrets, new evil, and mysterious dark-haired boys.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Secret Circle characters, including Clover. They belong to the wonderful L.J. Smith! :) Her story is a billion times better anyway.

**Short little introductory thingy: As you may or may not remember, in the beginning of the Secret Circle: The Initiation (the first book in the series), Cassie mentions her three best friends, Beth, Clover, and Miriam. This is the POV of Clover. **

Chapter 1

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP.

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP.

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP.

_ Ugghhhh... _Clover groaned in her head. _GO AWAY! _

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP.

BEEP, BEEP, BE-

The piercing sound of the alarm clock cut off as Clover smacked it with a little more force than necessary. She slowly opened one eye, then shut it immediately as sunlight nearly blinded her. Running a hand through her honey-blonde hair, she sighed inwardly. _Well...today's the day, _she thought tiredly. She rolled over lazily in her plush bed, brushing hair out of her eyes. Yawning, she squinted and tried to read the numbers on the face of her clock. She had bought the cute pale blue thing thinking it would be a good addition to her sweet and girly room, but today the piercing awakening it produced seemed almost sinister. Her clock read 7:30 AM.

Clover shut her eyes and collapsed back on the bed as a cold feeling of dread settled over her like a blanket. She tried to suppress it and nearly succeeded, but a small kernel of uneasiness remained in her gut. It was the same feeling that she'd felt every time she mentioned the trip set for that day. _Today, _Clover told herself.

Clover squeezed her eyes shut one final time and sat up in bed with a grim determination. She was going, and there was nothing to be done about it. _Besides, _she reminded herself weakly, _it's going to be great seeing your friend again. _She was excited to see Cassie again, she really was. _So then why am I so nervous? _She shook her head, clearing the cobwebs from her brain and hopefully, and thoughts of uneasiness.

She swung her legs over the side of her bed and padded to the restroom in her new fluffy unicorn slippers, a present from her Gram. Miriam always poked fun at Clover for her interest in the mythical creatures. She called them "sickly sweet and innocent." Maybe they were, but Clover remained fascinated with them. It always rubbed Clover the wrong way when Miriam teased her, but she would never _ever_ say anything about it to Miriam. Miriam was the one who always got the guys' attention. She was the witty and fun one in their four-person, now three-person group. Even if she was one of Clover's closest friends, talking back to her wasn't an option for Clover. That just wasn't what Clover _did._ She wasn't brave enough to do that anyway.

Just as Miriam was the witty one, Beth was the kind one. She was understanding and sweet, but she wasn't shy. Her caring nature was why Clover felt as if she could trust her with most anything. Whenever Clover was getting made fun of, Beth was always the one who defended her. In return, Clover was always very supportive and loyal, never leaving her side. They had a silent understanding - an agreement almost- between them. It had been that way since junior high.

Up until junior year, the dreamy one in the group had been Cassie. Always raving about a romantic novel and reading her poems to them with twinkling eyes, she had been full of a spirit that Clover admired and looked up to. Cassie had never been unkind to Clover, and the two were very close friends. _Maybe the closest in the group, _Clover thought with a sad smile. The two had shared a bond that Clover hadn't felt with the other girls. They also both had a strong love for mythology and fantasy, something the others weren't very interested in. Clover remembered how she'd once told Cassie that she was like a unicorn: magical and unique. She shook her head and chuckled at the thought.

Brief flashes of warm memories between her and Cassie stood out in her brain. Cassie picking up Clover's dropped school books with a smile. Cassie laughing hysterically at something Clover had said without thinking. Cassie and Clover embracing at each first day of school. A warm feeling settled in the middle of Clover's chest as she remembered fond memories, temporarily making her forget about the dread. Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill over. Clover had missed Cassie _so _much, it was like an ache in her chest. She remembered how she had felt when the brief email came explaining how Cassie was to stay in New England, without even saying goodbye. _I didn't even get to say goodbye,_ Clover thought to herself as the tears ran down her face. _It isn't fair, it just isn't!_

Miriam and Beth had been bewildered by the announcement of Cassie not returning, but neither of them seemed to be as devastated as Clover. They had calmly comforted Clover while she cried and Beth had shed a few tears, but Clover was surprised at how unaffected they were at their friend's departure. She was more than surprised; she was a little confused, actually. But she had just brushed it aside, deciding that they were simply tougher and stronger than Clover. _Which is true,_ she reminded herself ruefully.

Miriam and Beth hadn't been concerned about the suddeness of the email, but Clover had. She was curious. _Why so soon?_ she wondered. In the email, Cassie had written that her grandmother was getting ill, and her mother wanted to stay and support her. _That_ had sounded true enough. But what Clover hadn't understood was why Cassie hadn't returned any of the emails she'd sent to her afterward. She couldn't help but wonder why Cassie had completely cut her off.

After wondering and thinking out loud about the situation for the whole summer, Clover's parents had finally sat down and had a talk with her about it. "We understand that you miss Cassie, honey," Clover's mother had said sympathetically. Her mother and father had shared a look. "We decided," began her father, "that for the entire Spring Break, you may fly to New England to visit her." At the moment, Clover had been so overcome with joy that she had cried happily.

Her parents had told her that she was to fly to New England back in the beginning of September. Since then, the barely contained eagerness had descended to an excitedness, then to a wistfulness, then to something that she neither felt happy nor sad about. Now, she felt like she wanted to run back to her bed and bury herself under the covers.

She didn't understand why she was so unwilling to see her friend. Her best friend! She should have been overjoyed! But for some reason, she felt like she was going to meet a girl that she'd never met before in her life.

She was going as a surprise. Cassie had no idea that Clover was coming to stay with her. But then again, how would Cassie know? She hadn't returned her calls or her emails. The last thing that she had said to Cassie Blake was almost a year ago: "Have a great time in Cape Cod, Cassie!" _Maybe I shouldn't go,_ Clover worried anxiously for what seemed like the thousandth time. _Maybe she won't even recognize me. I bet Mom and Dad would understand. I could just stay with Gram for Spring Break. _But Cassie knew that all of her worrying was ridiculous. Of course Cassie would be happy to see her! She had to be...

Clover picked up her toothbrush and scrubbed her teeth forcefully. _You are going to MAKE yourself have a good time, Clover Rhodes! _She ordered herself triumphantly. _Even if it takes every ounce of will in you! _

Putting down the toothbrush, Clover looked at herself in the small mirror on the wall. She scrubbed away the crusties in her eyes and smoothed her ruffled hair. Usually during the school year, Clover kept her honey blonde hair trimmed in choppy layers that framed her face. Lately, she hadn't bothered to keep up with it. Her hair was now at her shoulders and cut in neat long layers. When the hairdresser suggested the cut, Clover had shrugged politely while her mother eagerly nodded her head. Things like makeup and hair styling weren't really Clover's interests. She just let her mother advise her on what to do in that department.

Clover looked at her reflection wistfully. She had a delicate facial structure, with pixie-like cheekbones and a slightly-pointed nose. Beth and other female adults often complimented her on her appearance, saying that she was "as perfect as a china doll," but Clover truly thought that she was quite ordinary. She wished that she had Beth's curly chestnut hair, or Miriam's cute dimples. There was one girl in her class, Jade, who had very straight black hair with the most striking green eyes Clover had ever seen. But if there was one feature Clover wanted to change, it was her eyes. She had always been uncharastically jealous of girls with big, blue eyes- _like Cassie, _Clover admitted shamefully. She supposed that she shouldn't be ungrateful. After all, she most certainly wasn't ugly or anything. But her almond shaped eyes were a plain light green color, nothing special like she wanted.

"Clover! CLOVER!" Clover quickly snapped out of the trance she'd been in and she rushed to her room. She realized that she'd been in the bathroom for almost half an hour; she had to leave by 8:15. She hastily dressed in a lavender sweater and jeans, applied some light makeup and grabbed her luggage. As she went out the door she stopped abruptly and looked at her bed, sitting in the center of her room and looking like a safe haven of comfort. _You could stay here. Forget about New England, _a tempting voice in her head whispered. But Clover turned around and walked out the door, without a second glance.

She only hoped that the feeling of uneasiness in her stomach would stop getting stronger.

**I would love any thoughts, criticism, and ideas that you would like to share. It is very important to me that I stay true to the original story, and if you notice and anything that doesn't add up with the books by L.J. please let me know! :)**

**Also- please, please, please review! I really don't want to sound desperate, but I'm not sure if I want to continue this story unless I get some feedback. Thanks!  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much if you've reviewed, it helps **_**so**_** much! Love you guys xx **

**Oh, and also, if you are going to look up information on the Secret Circle trilogy, don't go to Wikipedia. Some of the information on there is totally messed up!**

Chapter 2

When Clover was a little girl, her mother used to take her to this beautful meadow by her father's law firm. While Clover's father slaved away making business calls, her mother and she would run through the sunlit meadow for hours. It had been very special; it was one of the clearest memories of her childhood. Clover remembered collapsing while panting on the grass, feeling happier than ever. She would look up and smile at the scene with her mother: the wispy long grass waving at her like an old friend, the long sunflowers standing tall and proud, the beautiful wildflowers scattered around like joyful faeries dancing. Even in her young mind, Clover, at five years old, knew the picture was breathtaking, unearthly. She loved it.

The last time Clover had been to that meadow was about two years ago. She had loved it just as much as she did when she was five. Just being there gave her a deep happiness. A sense of being one with the earth. Like there was something _bigger_ joining everything together in harmony.

Then her father lost his job at the firm, and she never went back. But she often thought of that meadow. She wondered what it would be like if she just started running through the grass again. Running and never stopping.

Suddenly, Clover found herself in that meadow. The sunlight was streaming into her eyes, giving the whole place an illumination from within. It made the whole world look alive. She was touching the grass, combing her fingers through it, like she would do when she was a child. She tilted her head up to the sky, letting the rays of sunshine caress her face. Then she was spinning, spinning _fast_, spinning and spinning as the colors blurred together and mixed into one summery haze. She was spinning so fast that she couldn't even feel herself; she was a free spirit. She felt separated from mind and body, light as air. She felt _amazing._

Then she stopped.

The world wasn't spinning beneath her; she wasn't dizzy at all. She just felt as if she'd gotten off a crazy, fantastic rollarcoaster, trying to catch her breath. But her breath was knocked right out of her the second she saw the figure standing before her.

It was a girl, the most beautiful girl Clover had ever seen in her life. Her face was of impossible beauty, and her hair was like liquid gold weaved into strands that fell past her waist. Every detail of her face was flawless; it was like she was crafted by the hands of God himself. Clover had never seen anyone, or anything more breathtaking.

Then Clover looked at her eyes and gasped. She'd seen those eyes before...somewhere... They looked so familiar... _Where have I seen those eyes? _They were the softest and prettiest shade of blue, the exact shade of the sky on a spring morning. Clover didn't know how, but she knew that if she smiled at the girl, the girl would smile back. But her face was frozen in awe.

Clover took a step forward. The girl's brow furrowed, and she looked at Clover with questions in her eyes. She looked so puzzled that Clover became puzzled herself. _Why did I just do that?_ she wondered.

The girl opened her mouth to speak, and Clover paused.

"Clover?"

Clover opened her eyes. She'd fallen asleep in the car with her face resting on the palm of her hand, and it left a red splotch as an imprint. Clover blinked. _Some dream, _she thought sleepily. _Must not have gotten enough sleep last night. _

"Clover?" her mother said her name again. "Are you alright, honey?"

Clover turned her head to look at her mother, who kept glancing at her, worried. Even with a worried expression, Clover's mother was clearly beautiful. She had rich dark brown hair the color of mahogany. She currently had it pinned back in a half-updo, with the bottom half falling in soft waves. Clover sighed inwardly, wondering why she didn't inherit her mother's beautiful locks. They seemed to always be in perfect condition, unlike Clover's common blonde hair that was often lank. Most of Clover's physical traits had come from her father, unfortunately. The only obvious trait inherited from her mother was the deep, foresty eye color. Well, Mrs. Rhodes' was the one with the deep, foresty eye color. Clover's eyes were a simple green, more like the color of dry grass.

"Sweetheart?" Mrs. Rhodes was becoming increasingly more worried, and she started to slow the gray Honda Pilot she was driving.

Clover managed a weak smile. "I'm fine, Mom. Really." _At least, I'm almost there. _

"Hmph." Her mother made a disapproving sound. "You haven't been staying up too late reading those crazy fantasy books of yours, have you? Because you know how I feel about those! They are full of odd ideas, they are, and I don't want those kind of things going into your head. You are already quite quirky, you know, and-"

"_Mom._ Seriously. I'm alright. I just didn't have the best night of sleep, that's all. I think I should invest in a new alarm clock..." Clover cut off her sentence to yawn dramatically. Mrs. Rhodes just looked at her and rolled her eyes. _I should be the one rolling _my_ eyes, _Clover thought grumpily.

Mrs. Rhodes stuck her hand in a grocery bag next to the driver's seat without taking her eyes off the road. After digging her hand around in there for a couple seconds, she fished out a bright red apple. "Here," she said, offering it to Clover. "You didn't get much to eat this morning, and I don't want you eating any of that lousy airplane food. Always upsets my digestive system, and knowing _your_ problems with digestion-"

"_Mom!"_

Mrs. Rhodes smiled. "Kidding, sweetheart. But I still think you should eat more often!"

Clover rolled her eyes and took a big bite of the apple, letting the juicy sweetness linger in her mouth. It wasn't like she never ate, she just didn't have a large appetite. She had never been a big eater, but she'd never really worried about it until lately. Her mother and Miriam had a quite a few things to say about her thin figure of late, and they weren't exactly positive, either. Mrs. Rhodes always had an opinion about everything, and it often wasn't a good one. She was always nagging on Clover about her this and that, like the fantasy books Clover enjoyed, and how much time she spent with her friends, and the clothes she was wearing to school. But even if she was slightly overbearing at times, she managed to keep a cheerful demeanor. _Sometimes _too_ cheerful,_ Clover mentally grumbled.

Clover took one last bite of apple, wiped her mouth, and threw the core out the window. She watched as it landed in a patch of grass by some trees, and then the whole scene blurred together as they continued to whiz by.

Clover closed her eyes and stuck her jelly earbuds in her ears. _Maybe some music will calm me down,_ she hoped. She settled against the back of the leather seat as a catchy pop song played on her Ipod. The colorful tune did lift Clover's spirits a little bit, but she still felt weary and uneasy. She attempted to take a light nap to kill time, and she squirmed in her seat, trying to get in a comfortable position. After about five minutes of pretending that the way she curved her neck wasn't unbearable, she sighed and gave up. She quickly found that settling her eyes on the continuous yellow road lines made time go faster.

Mile marker after mile marker whizzed by, seeming to Clover like a grim countdown until her destination. She glanced at the nature flying by; the highway was surrounded by endless flat, grassy plains with occasional flowers dotting the green. Clover had never traveled far from her home, Reseda, California. Reseda was a small suburb outside of San Diego, which Clover had been to several times. She was used to humidity and high temperatures; palm trees and houses with sparkling pools in the backyard. She hadn't even thought about how different the atmosphere in New Salem would be.

"Hopefully not full of tacky business men, surfer wannabes, and eager teenage girls," she mumbled under her breath.

"What was that, sweetie?" Mrs. Rhodes asked in a chipper voice.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing..."

Suddenly, a large reflective green sign with the words, _San Diego Airport - 10 miles_ flew by. An eery chill crept up Clover's spine.

It seemed like time went by too fast. Before she knew it, Clover's mother had turned and pulled into a parking space outside of the huge airport terminal. Clover looked outside and watched hundreds of people milling around, carrying luggage. She suddenly thought of herself walking alone among the sea of people and a wave of fright swept over herself. She hastily turned around in her seat and took a deep breath, eyes wide. She knew that she could go, but could she make it by herself? She had never gone anywhere alone before. Her mother or father or Gram were always by her side, always there when she needed something. Could she last a whole week alone, on the other side of the country?

"Ah-hem."

Clover turned to look at her mother as she gripped the safety belt that she had yet to unlatch. Her mother watched her with sad eyes and a teary smile. Clover didn't know what she would do if her mother started crying _now._ She felt her own eyes getting moist.

Mrs. Rhodes cleared her throat again and wiped her eyes. Her attempt at a cheery smile wobbled as she said, " Are you going to be alright, honey?"

Clover felt her throat close a little, and she realized that she must have looked openly frightened to her mother. She sniffled. "I don't think I can do, this Mom."

That set her mother off the edge. Steady tears ran down her face and she hastily tried to wipe them away. A big, determined smile appeared on her splotchy face. Clover knew that no matter how hard she tried, she could never sum up courage as easily as her mother.

"Oh, I know you can, sweetheart. You've got your father's looks, and my spirit," Mrs. Rhodes said encouragingly.

Clover knew _that_ wasn't true. But she appreciated her mother's effort to encourage her. She was just about to unlatch the seatbelt and catch her breath when her mother said,

"There's just one more thing that I forgot to tell you."

Clover stared at the woman who had been crying merely seconds ago, and now had a cheery expression on her face. _Oh no,_ Clover thought, frozen. Her mother's "forgetfulness" never ended well.

"Your father and I have been thinking some things over-" a brief look of something Clover couldn't identify flashed in Mrs. Rhodes' eyes- and we recently decided that instead of just one week in New Salem, you can stay for two weeks!" she exclaimed. She grinned like she'd just told the best news Clover could possibly hear.

Clover didn't know what to say. She didn't know what to _think._ She slumped into her seat in shock. _Two weeks? TWO? That's impossible! _she wanted to scream. She wanted to sprint the whole way back home and nose-dive back into her bed, where no one could see or hear her. She wanted to run _period,_ run until the cold feeling in her chest dissolved. She was shaking her head continuously, eyes wide, when she realized that her mother was still talking to her.

"-and I know this is very short notice, but I packed extra things in your bag last night! I wanted it to be a surprise, dear-" she was saying, but Clover wasn't paying any attention. _Two weeks,_ she kept thinking. _Two weeks in New Salem..._

"Now go! Go, Clover, or you're going to miss you're flight! Don't forget your luggage, have a great time-" Mrs. Rhodes' was swatting Clover's shoulder, shooing her out the door. Her bracelets jingled as she reached in the back compartment for Clover's polka-dotted suitcase. Clover just looked at her mother blankly. _Am I really leaving-right now?_ Mrs. Rhodes thrust the suitcase at Clover with another bright, encouraging smile. She tried to shoo Clover out the door with one hand, keeping the other gripped on the steering wheel like she was eager to get back on the road. Clover furrowed her brow and stared at her mother's plum colored fingernails, trying to think. There was something important, a question that she needed to ask... Her brain was so fuzzy, and she couldn't focus. She turned and looked at the terminal again, trying to think... The towering gray building made her think of a different building, one she was familiar with... Suddenly, a picture in her mind, one of a large, modern-style brick building and a steel plate with the words _Reseda High School_ engraved on it...

_Oh!_

Clover got her voice back. "But-but..b-but what about school?" Clover sputtered incredulously. Spring Break was only one week long at her school. Not that she really _cared _about being in attendance, but her parents did, right?

Wrong.

Mrs. Rhodes' eyes flicked around nervously, avoiding Cassie's bewildered gaze. "Well, sweetheart, Spring Break is two weeks long in New Salem, and since you haven't been able to see your friend in nearly a year..." she smiled sympathetically. "Your father and I decided that you're responsible enough to make up the work that you miss. You deserve a nice vacation, anyway." Clover's shoulders slumped and her mother pursed her lips impatiently. "You really need to get going, honey. If you get lost, don't be afraid to ask for directions. You know what to do with your ticket and things. Have a great time!" She gave Clover one final push towards the passenger door.

Clover gulped anxiously and opened the car door, placing one sneaker on the pavement. Then, without looking at her mother, she gathered her luggage and closed the shut the car door with a _slam! _She took a deep breath, surveying the building before her. People bustled around inside. They all looked eager to get on their flight, eager to get to wherever they were going. Clover forced herself to smile. Maybe there was a girl inside just like her, traveling to see her friend. _I bet that she wouldn't be half as nervous as you, Clover,_ Clover thought to herself. _She's probably very excited to see her friend, just like you should be. Just like you are. _Clover nodded to herself. The more she told herself that, the more she would believe it. _You are going to have fun you are going to have fun you are going to have fun you are- _

The Honda started up with a happy hum behind her. Clover whirled around, eyeing her mother warily. Why was she so anxious to leave? Clover sighed, waving to her mother. She rolled her eyes when she saw Mrs. Rhodes wave excitedly back, like a child. Clover was used to her mother's strange behavior. She was a funny bird, to put it frankly. The Honda sped away, and Clover watched it as it went into the distance. She was officially alone now.

For a moment, she didn't know what to do next. But then she patted her pocket, feeling all the information she needed for her flight. She straightened her shoulders, then made her way to the terminal.

An hour later, Clover was seated comfortably in a good-sized seat. Luckily, she only had to share her row with one other person, and that happened to be a kind elderly woman. Apparently the woman was also very sleepy, because she had been napping peacefully since the airplane had taken off.

Clover checked her watch. It was ten o' clock, and she was scheduled to arrive in Boston around five. She squirmed in her seat, thinking of things to occupy her time. She started to reach for her Ipod in her pocket, but stopped. Instead, she watched the beautiful sky outside her window.

The sky was a brilliant blue; Clover had never seen such a gorgeous shade. For a second, she remembered something that had to do with a color that blue, something that seemed like it happened a long time ago. Shaking her head of the thought, Clover gazed at the puffy white clouds. They were perfectly shaped - like something out of a fairytale scene. She wondered what would happen if the glass separating her from the sky disappeared. _I suppose I would stretch out my wings and fly,_ she thought with a smile. _Fly away..._ Slowly, she slipped into a peaceful sleep.

This time, Clover knew she was dreaming.

She was sitting in the meadow again, but it was nighttime. In the clear, white light of the full moon, the meadow looked like a whole new place. It was no longer sunny and inviting, but illuminated with a cold beauty. The tall grass surrounding Clover rustled in the breeze, but Clover didn't want to run her hands through it anymore. It brushed against her lightly, caressing her thighs and waist. Clover shivered and looked closer. She thought she had just imagined it, but... She gasped. The thin blades of grass weren't rustling in the wind; there was no wind. Clover whipped her head so fast it almost gave her whiplash. She spun around, checking to see if it was real, it couldn't possibly- Her breath caught in her throat and her hand fluttered to her heart.

The meadow was _alive._

Clover was wildly spinning around. _Oh my God oh my God oh my God_- the words ran through her mind nonstop. _I can't believe this it's not real it's just a dream it's just a dream-_

She spun around, looking in all directions for some kind of way out. But there was nothing. The moving grass was surrounding her endlessly. Everywhere she turned there was _grass._ Fear gripped her heart like an icy vise. She finally gave up and tilted her head to the sky.

_Stars._ They covered the sky completely. Clover squinted her eyes to observe it closely. Her mouth opened in awe. The sky wasn't even black, it was more like a silky indigo. She found herself reaching out to the sky timidly and she quickly pulled her hand back. There were fiery little dots among the stars too: blue dots, red dots, dots of every color. _Planets,_ Clover realized. The whole sky was a celestial wonderland. It was _beautiful._

Suddenly, something snarled behind Clover. She whipped her head around and immediately wished she hadn't. Standing too close for comfort were three wolves, snarling and snapping their jaws. They were carbon black, with flashing eyes. _Nice doggies,_ Clover thought desperately. She slowly backed away from them, ignoring the grass brushing against her skin. The feral beasts inched forward menacingly. They were getting _closer_.

Clover stood frozen. She thought she had been afraid of the meadow, but now she was overcome with fear of a different level. It was too much for her to handle. Tears sprang to her eyes. The wolves inched even closer, snapping their jaws and making terrible noises. Their fur looked the opposite of soft; it looked almost metallic. She knew she had to do _something,_ but she couldn't. Her feet were planted, and she was so scared that her brain felt like ice.

There was more snarling and barking behind her, and Clover jerked her head behind her. Six more wolves had arrived, looking every bit as menacing as the others. Just when she thought it couldn't get any worse, three _more_ wolves emerged from the grass. Hot tears were running down her face. There were twelve feral wolves surrounding her, getting closer by the second. She just couldn't deal with it, she _couldn't-_

Something wet nudged at her hand. Clover slowly let her eyes fall downward, and she realized that a wolf had thrust its nose into her palm. She jerked her hand toward her, far away from the beast. Then she noticed, with wide eyes, that the wolf's eyes were the most beautiful shade of blue-

Someone nudged Clover on the shoulder, and her eyes snapped open. She groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. _What is with the dreams I've been having lately? _she wondered to herself. It really was peculiar, when she thought about it. She hadn't had such a clear dream in a long time. Strange...

"We just landed, dear."

Clover looked up to see the old woman who shared her seat smiling at her kindly. After a moment's hesitation, Clover timidly smiled back.

**How did you like this chapter? :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed! :) I love you and your brilliant ideas! xx**

**I'd like to give a shout out to xxDeadInsidexx, a sweetheart with great stories! She is a wonderful writer so go check out her stuff! **

**Sorry this chapter took me so long, I was crazy busy for a while! **

**Oh, and I've been putting Clover's thoughts into italic font, but I won't be doing that anymore.**

Chapter 3

The dream on the airplane had shaken Clover. Something about the twelve wolves, and the eyes... It haunted her. I should've gotten more sleep, she thought, mentally kicking herself. Her eyes felt so heavy that she almost fell asleep while in line to collect her luggage.

The whole entire trip through the Boston Airport felt like a blur of tiled floors and large windows to Clover.Too many people, too little benches to rest on.Still, even though she was tired, there was a buzzing in her stomach. Instead of the heavy dread she had felt earlier that day, this feeling was more like the excitement she thought she ought to have.

Several tidy looking business women gave Clover odd looks as they hurriedly went by. Then, a little girl holding her mother's hand hid a smile as she trotted past her. After catching an old lady chuckle to herself and sneaking glances at her, Clover started to feel like she was a zebra in a room full of horses or something. She wheeled her suitcase into the large bathroom close by, not caring that she was scratching up the shiny floors.

The bathroom was spotless; it was strangely more sanitary than Clover would have expected an airport bathroom to be. The wheels on her suitcase squeaked and stopped abruptly as she halted in front of the huge mirror on the wall. She looked at her reflection and winced. Her hair was disheveled and sticking up on one side, and there was a red mark on her cheek from resting on the airplane seat. Her mom would _die_ if she knew Clover was just walking around in public like that.

Clover brushed her fingers through her hair and rubbed her cheeks forcefully. Maybe her mother wouldn't really care how she looked. She certainly hadn't seemed to care while she was speeding away from the airport. Clover bit her lip. Her mom probably hadn't wanted to stick around for her grumpy mood. She wasn't exactly pleased with the announcement of her two-week stay in New Salem.

She sighed and stared into the green eyes in the mirror. In the large, shiny bathroom, Clover looked even younger and more innocent than usual. As much as the news of her extended stay had surprised her, she had known something like that would happen. She was quiet, but she wasn't naive. She hadn't missed the flicker of guilt in her mother's eyes as she tried to pass off the news as a happy, last-second arrangement.

For the past few months, things hadn't been very peaceful in the Rhodes home. Her father lost his job, and the bills were getting harder and harder to pay. The more expensive the bills were, the more frustrated Clover's parents got, not only with their financial situation, but with eachother. It wasn't long after Mr. Rhodes' became unemployed that her mother was blaming him for everything that went wrong.

Clover's parents had tried to cover up the screaming and the fighting, but even under her heavy blankets, she could hear everything. There had been too many days at school where she hadn't gotten any sleep the night before. Mrs. Rhodes noticed the bags under Clover's eyes and knew that they weren't as discreet as they'd hoped. They'd been trying to make up for it whenever they could.

Funny how her parents' idea of an apologetic gift was Clover's idea of misery.

Clover shook her head to clear the thought, knowing she shouldn't be thinking that. But it was kind of difficult to be positive about something her whole body was protesting against. Her head started to pound as she attempted picturing her reunion with Cassie. She could see herself clearly; head ducked down slightly as she greeted her, smiling a small, nervous smile. Every time she had tried to picture seeing Cassie again she came up blank. For all Clover knew, she could have shaved her head and dyed her eyebrows.

Suddenly, the sharp clacking heels sounded behind Clover as a clean-cut businesswoman entered one of the many stalls. At the sight of Clover's disheveled appearance she quickly smoothed her sleek bob and shut the stall door with a click.

Realizing that she couldn't stay in the restroom forever, grabbed her suitcase handle and took a deep breath. A sudden and surprisingly strong longing to hop a plane and fly back to her cozy bed overtook her, but she ignored it forcefully. With one last look at the young girl in the mirror, she walked out.

There wasn't anyone meeting her at the airport, and she didn't have any family close by in Boston, so the plan that her mother had given her was to call a Boston taxi service and be driven to New Salem. Clover was old enough to have her driver's license, but she had never bothered to get one. She preferred being driven places; she knew she would never be able to focus on the road instead of staring up into the sky and getting lost in her thoughts. She loved long car rides, sitting in the window seat, and exploring her imagination. A smile tugged at her mouth as she recalled some of the crazy stories she'd come up with in the passenger seat.

Clover pulled her cell phone out of her pocket, gripping the suitcase handle hard. Just as she was about to press the button connecting her to the taxi service, she realized that she was standing smack in the middle of the center of the crowd. People were pushing past her and accidentally bumping into her so much that her permanent lack of comfort was slowly rising to a state of panic. Whipping her head around to find the nearest lounge area, she quickly ran over to a leather couch in the corner, not caring whoever she bumped into. There were three couches in the lounge area, two of them occupied. Clover collapsed onto a black loveseat, panting slightly.

On one of the other couches was an old Indian man. He was leafing through a foreign magazine and peering through his glasses with a stern expression on his weathered, tan face. The other couch was larger than Clover's loveseat and the Indian man's one-person couch. Three teenagers that looked a little older than her were perched in a group, chattering quietly. Clover noticed that the only girl of the three had a bright streak of turquoise in her hair, contrasting with her slick black locks. A small pang of jealousy hit Clover, as she looked at the edgy, but pretty girl. She wanted people to see her as they did when they saw that girl. Whenever people saw Clover, they usually treated her like a helpless little girl. Or, if you were a student at Reseda High School, you would just ignore her.

Sitting on opposite sides of the girl were two guys. One of them had a small build with big glasses, and his dark hair was cropped close to his head. He looked like he would be smarter than Clover in just about any subject in school.

The other guy looked like an average high school boy: jeans, sneakers, wavy brown hair, and a t-shirt with some obscure band on it. It was hard to see his face because he was leaning over some magazine with the others, but he was obviously good-looking. He turned to the smaller boy and laughed at something he'd said. For a second, Clover saw his bright blue eyes sparkle as he grinned.

Then suddenly, he looked up and met Clover's eyes, the grin still on his face. She turned away quickly, blushing furiously. Her cheeks were still pink when she decided that it was probably a good time to call the taxi service.

After stumbling on a couple words and quietly confirming her location, she shut her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. All of the voices and clacking of high heels around her faded to static noise in her head as she leaned back and rested on the cool leather. Even though she had slept a lot on the plane, Clover realized that she was very tired. She hoped the taxi driver wouldn't want to talk much, so she could rest and listen to her Ipod.

She wished that she could just lie there, and not think. All of the worry and nervousness was exhausting her more than the plane ride, but she didn't know how to overcome that. It seemed like whenever she would reassure herself on one issue, another frightening issue would come flooding back to her and trapping her in fear. The cool leather of the loveseat felt so good on her neck. Maybe if she just closed her eyes and waited for the taxi, all her fears would go away...

"Hey."

Clover's eyes sprang open. She lifted her head up from the couch and looked around. Everything was the same as it had been only a second ago. Funny, it had sounded like someone was talking to _her._

"Hey, over here!"

She looked straight ahead and realized that the cute boy and his friends were looking directly at her. The one speaking to her, the boy with the blue eyes, was wearing a friendly smile. He closed the magazine on his lap.

"Uh, I couldn't help but hear that you're heading to New Salem. My friends and I are going there too," he said. He talked easily, like he was used to holding people's attention.

Shocked that someone was speaking to her, Clover managed a nod. She blushed at how pathetic she must have looked and she instinctively played with a wisp of blonde hair.

The boy didn't seem to notice her lack of speech. "Maybe we'll see you around, then." He flashed her another smile, and with that, he and his friends grabbed their things and left.

Clover watched them disappear into the crowd. Stupid, stupid, stupid, she thought. Why couldn't I at least have said hello?

"Too late now," she sighed wistfully. The boy was cute, but if she ran into him again it would be way too embarrassing.

Clover looked up to see the Indian man peering at her with a raised eye brow. Heat flooded her cheeks again as she rose and trotted away.

Ten minutes later, a bright yellow taxi came to promptly pick her up. She stuffed her luggage in the trunk and slid into the back seat. The inside of the car wasn't anything special; it was like most of the other taxis Clover had ridden in on one of her trips to San Diego. A friendly-looking African American man met her eyes in the rearview mirror.

"Where to, honey?"

Clover swallowed and said shyly, "Can you take me to New Salem? I have enough money, I promise."

The man raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure? That's a two hour drive."

She nodded and blushed again, biting her lip. The driver grunted and they rolled away, the airport slowly fading into the distance. Thank God I've made it this far, she thought as she leaned her head against the cool glass window.

The car ride didn't seem like two hours.

The driver didn't attempt any small talk; he asked if he could put the radio on, then turned to an upbeat reggae station. That was perfectly fine with Clover. It gave her some time to think and prepare herself for the next part of her journey: the arrival.

After about fourty five minutes or so, the sky turned a light shade of gray and drops of rain splattered across the windows. Great, she thought bleakly. The weather matched her mood.

The lush forests on the sides of the road slowly dwindled down to several trees, then only a few, then none. Clover smiled when she saw the blue-gray waves of the ocean. It comforted her to see waves and endless sky; it reminded her of home. The Eastern ocean was choppier and bleaker than the sparling crystal water she was used to, but it was something. Clover thought of her mother, father, and Gram, and felt totally, utterly alone.

The taxi past a large sign that said _New Salem - 2 Miles_. Suddenly, the uncomfortable gnawing in her stomach increased greatly. It was getting harder and harder to reassure herself. It's gonna be great, it's gonna be great, it's gonna be great, it's gonna be great-

"We're here, honey."

A small town was visible on the horizon under the gray, cloudy sky. Clover could make out some surf shops, a diner, and was that bank? The town looked small and bleak in the rain, but also kind of...charming.

"Is there somewhere I should drop you off?" asked the driver kindly. He yawned and and cracked his head. The small digital clock in the car read 7:52. The sky was getting darker over the sleepy little town.

Clover gave him Cassie's address off the top of her head. She gulped anxiously, tapping her foot on the floor of the taxi. She just wanted to run all the way across the country and never look back.

Crowhaven Road, House Number 12. That's where she was headed, whether she liked it or not.

**So what do you think will happen at Cassie and Clover's reunion? Is Clover's anxious feeling just nerves, or is it something else? What will happen when she meets the coven? **

**Anybody who reviews and answers I will look at their stories and possibly review. You might also get a shout-out ;) **

**Stay tuned! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**First off, I would like to say thank you guys for all the wonderful comments :) The reason that I haven't uploaded in forever is because I've been gone on vacation, and I've also had summer English projects and new school stress to deal with :/ I wanted to get this chapter perfect! :) **

Chapter 4

It wasn't anything like she'd expected.

But then again, Clover hadn't known what to expect when it came to Cassie's new home.

It felt surreal, dreamlike almost, when she stepped out of the taxi and slowly lifted her eyes to the huge, looming building in front of her. She had gasped audibly, her hand flying to her mouth before she even knew what she was doing. She was so transfixed by the house in front of her that only a distant part of her mind noted that the taxi driver had sped away. She didn't even blink.

It wasn't that the house was strangely designed, or painted a strange color, or anything like that. It wasn't even painted at all. The exterior of the house was all wood; a very dark wood that looked like it was made of ancient trees. It was also _huge. _It wasn't quite the size of a mansion but it was very close. There was a wraparound front porch with a creaky porch swing, and a cellar door peeked out from the side of the house.

Against the dull, gray, cloudy skyline, Number 12 looked almost sinister. The absence of any light or warmth sent a chill up Clover's spine.

_How could anyone want to live here?_ Clover thought with a shiver. _I'm half expecting Dracula to appear in the doorway or something._

Just as she took a deep breath for courage, a curtain shifted in one of the square windows. Clover gulped and hesitantly walked to the porch.

She couldn't imagine Cassie living here. The whole property was like something out of one of Clover's vampire fantasy novels. Something about it was just _off._ And it certainly wasn't helping her fears.

But even though the house creepy, there was almost a strange _charm_ to it. The rough wood handrails and dreary window panels were unfriendly at first glance, but as Clover looked at it more and more, she the wrenching in her gut started to loosen just a little bit.

_Okay, so maybe it's not that bad._ She bit her lip. _But that doesn't mean I'm about to camp out on the porch for two weeks. Go on, you wuss, just ring the doorbell! _

A fierce wave of courage overtook her like a strong fist, and she trotted up the creaky steps. She stared directly at the rusty door knocker as she lightly tapped on the door three times. _There you go, you're doing great._

But she wasn't.

All around her was this sense of something _wrong._ That brief bit of courage disappeared instantly as Clover breathed heavily with panic. Suddenly it seemed like the chilly April air was choking her. She shivered, the words _No, no, no no no no no_ beating senselessly in her head. Her eyes flashed to the creaking porch swing and she wildly wondered if she could hide behind it.

_No, no, no no no no no- _

_I've got to go I need to get out NOW, _her mind was screaming at her. She turned around to dash behind the swing, somewhere, anywhere but here-

Her heart stopped.

_Tap tap tap tap._

Without turning to face the door, Clover closed her eyes. Her mind went blank, everything vanished except for the soft footsteps approaching the door.

_What. Was. I. Thinking. _

Suddenly, like a rubber band snapping, everything came back in a rush.

Disbelief. _Did, I, Clover Rhodes, really fly across the country by myself? I can't believe this it's too much what was I thinking I'm going to die this is crazy! I'm not brave enough, this is just a dream- _

Her previous feeling of anxiousity was now a shrieking siren in her chest.

_Tap tap tap tap. _Footsteps getting louder as they reached the door. _Creeeeak. _The heavy door slowly opening behind her.

"Um hey...can I help you with something?"

Clover whipped around and came face to face with a short, lanky boy with a nervous expression on his face.

He chuckled awkwardly. "Cat got your tongue?" He said in a squeaky voice. He didn't look directly at her face, and his beady black eyes nervously flicked around.

Heat rose in her cheeks and she gulped, looking at the floor. When she looked back up, he was licking his lips and slowly eyeing her up and down. His lips curled up in a bried flash of a grin, liking what he saw.

Astonishment flared through Clover as she reddened even more. With his eyes on her, she felt like a piece of meat. Awkward discomfort blossomed in her chest.

She stared at his flashy belt buckle that had the name _Sean_ on it. "Uh-uh um-" she lightly cleared her throat, "is uh, is Cassie here?" she mumbled. She half hoped that he would say no.

Instead he stepped closer to her on the porch. "What did you say? I couldn't hear you..."

Quickly she met his eyes directly and in a brief flash she noticed that he was the same height as her. Odd, for a teenage boy. "I said, 'Is Cassie here?'" Her voice carried louder than she had expected, and her cheeks flamed. _Gosh, I can't catch a break._

"Sean, what are you doing? Are you harrassing this girl or something? What the hell is wrong with you? I swear kid..." Suddenly, appearing from nowhere, a girl with long, wild, curlyhair walked up from behind Sean. His predatorial stance faltered and he suddenly looked nervous, if not frightened. His beady eyes flicked down to the floor and he quickly backed into the house with his head down. _Kind of like a guilty puppy,_ Clover thought with a nervous, hysterical giggle.

"God, you are such an idiot sometimes! And why the hell are you keeping us waiting in here for?" the girl continued, annoyed. Her dark hair contrasted with her pale skin, tumbling down her shoulders and almost to her waist. Her hands were on her small hips in annoyance and she scowled darkly.

She was one of the most striking girls Clover had ever seen.

Sean whimpered under her cold gaze. He was totally scared of her- his predator front didn't frighten Clover in the least anymore. She felt a burst of appreciation towards the beautiful girl, and she stood a little bit taller.

"I wasn't doing anything, Deb! I swear! She-she said she was looking for Cassie, that's all!" Sean sputtered. He stared at the ground, scratched his black, cropped hair, and quickly turned to escape.

"Whatever, dick. You've kept us waiting and now I'm in a bad mood, so just beat it-"

_I wonder how long this house has been here,_ Clover wondered as she brushed her fingers along the wooden edge of the door. Forgetting about the argument just inside, she thought more about the interesting architecture of the house. The ancient wood gave it an air of ageless scruture.

She lightly felt along the wood paneling of the wall. A sharp sting took her by surprise and she let in a quick intake of breath. _Ugh, _she thought glumly, holding her finger. _Splinter._

As she inspected the little bead of blood on her wound, she realized that it was strangely quiet.

She slowly turned around to see the girl looking at her coldly, with Sean in her shadow. Clover's mind went blank with shocked surprise.

_Talk, idiot! Say something! _

"Uh, hi.. uh, um, uh-uh" she choked out, cheeks flaming. The girl narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips in annoyance. Now that she had a good look at her face, Clover started to feel afraid of her too. The girl's grim scowl made Clover squirm and realize that she wasn't looking for any appreciation.

The girl had striking features, with fierce cheekbones and a stubborn chin. Her lips were twisted in a permanent scowl, and her dark eyes were hard. Even under the girl's beaten up motorcycle jacket, Clover noticed that she had a very fit physique. Suddenly Clover felt very, very small and very,very weak. Still, the girl was one of the gorgeous teenagers she had ever seen.

"Who are you?" the girl asked coldly. She folded her arms under her chest. Clover got the brief feeling that she didn't like her very much. She bit her lip and shrunk under the cold scruntiny of the girl.

"Um, well, I'm- I'm a friend of Cassie's," Clover practically whispered. Her face was white with fear.

"Humph," the girl looked her up and down quickly with narrowed eyes and said gruffly, "Follow me."

Clover felt reluctant to leave her safe little haven on the porch, but she scrambled inside to follow the girl's quick pace. She couldn't help looking around at all the various dark rooms as her unease intesified. The door shut behind her with a solid _bang._

There was no going back.

The house was clearly historical. There were antique pieces of furniture everywhere: grandfather clocks, Victorian style couches, and thick plush carpet. The furntiture also had some kind of unique design on it, one that Clover had never seen before. With her grandfather owning an antique store, she had quite a knowledge of old furniture and it was rare that she didn't recognize it. _Must be an old Massachusetts style,_ she thought absently. In the front lobby, an _huge, _ancient spiraling staircase stood proudly. The dark wood of the grand stairs was the same as most of the furniture.

_Wow, _Clover thought in awe. _This is absolutely beautiful._

The peeling wallpaper was rust-colored, and various samplers, paintings, and pictures adorned the walls. There was a particular painting of a young woman that caught her attention. She peered at it closely. It was a young and beautiful woman of the twenties or thirties, and she was doing something with a hammer type thing and plants on a table. _Hmm... Something about this woman...reminds me of somebody.._

A hand closed around her arm tightly and Clover looked up, astonished. The girl scowled angrily.

"Come _on._"

With one last look at the lobby, Clover hastily followed her. But she couldn't help but feel like the whole house was..._enchanted_ or something.

_They call me a dreamer for a reason_, she thought with a shake of her head.

They climbed up the stairs, the girl pulling Clover's arm and Sean slowly sauntering behind them both. Clover glanced at the girl's dark hair and biker wardrobe and felt a pang of jealousy. She was petite like her, but somehow, the other girl seemed to look like she could kick ass whenever she felt like it. With her free hand, Clover twirled a piece of hair nervously.

The house was beautiful in a dusty, ancient sort of way, but she still felt entirely out of place. While it was strangely enchanting and creepy, the whole place felt hostile, and so far, the people inside did too.

Now that she was inside, a little bit of anxiosity was gone. But there was still one question that hadn't been answered.

How did Cassie fit into all of this?

The Cassie that Clover had once knew would have never lived in a place like this, much less thrive here. And the people that answered the door? They were a strange choice of friends for her former best friend. In lots of ways the girl and Sean were entirely different, and yet...

They were both the same.

A new chill went up her spine as she was mercilessly pulled along.

They were upstairs now, in a narrow hallway with no wallpaper, just cold dark wood. The hallway seemed endless: they had at least past a dozen rooms by now.

All the doors looked exactly the same, and Clover had the intimadating feeling of being in one of those haunted houses at a carnival. Not that she had ever been to a carnvial- but she imagined that this was what one must be like. Getting lost in the house would be extremely easy.

Suddenly, a door shut softly behind them.

"Clover? Is that you?"

She turned around, wondering who would recognize her besides Cassie in the strange place. A flash of panic burst inside her and she held her breath as she faced the person who called her name.

A petite, dark-haired woman stood down the hall, wearing a puzzled expression. She slowly walked forward, cocking her head to the side in confusion.

Warm recollection made Clover smile. She broke free of the girl's grip and walked forward to embrace Mrs. Blake.

"Hi, how are you, Mrs. Blake?" she asked softly, smiling. She embraced her petite figure, feeling smooth chestnut hair against her cheek.

Delicate hands gripped her shoulders. "Clover! My goodness! It's been too long, sweetheart," Mrs. Blake exclaimed in a melodic voice. She broke into a warm smile.

Memory overcame Clover as she looked at Cassie's mother. Suddenly, she two years flew backward and it was like she was standing in Cassie's small kitchen, having dinner with the family. Mrs. Blake looked exactly the same, with her long chestnut hair and warm, crinkling eyes. With her delicate frame, people had often asked if she was Cassie's older sister rather than mom.

They stood there in the hallway for a small second, smiling at eachother. Suddenly, they both seemed to remember where they were as Mrs. Blake cocked her head in confusion again. Her smile lost a bit of it's kind warmth and she released her grip on Clover's shoulders.

The fond memories slowly faded away with Mrs. Blake's smile. Suddenly, she seemed almost like a stranger.

Clover slowly took a step backward.

"Mom, who's there? What's going on-"

Clover looked to the right of Mrs. Blake as a beautiful girl stepped out of a room.

It was late May, and they were sprawled in Cassie's tiny backyard, watching the clouds.

The bright blue sky was filled with puffy, cottonball shapes of all kinds. With Cassie and Clover's imaginations, just about anything and everything could be found up there. Dogs, birds, mermaids, flowers, you name it, they would spot it.

The sweet summer air was simply perfect for cloud-watching. It was cool enough for comfort, but just hot enough to make laying around sound like a dream. And even though the little plot of grass was a bit small, the pretty wildflowers blooming up here and there made it a wonderful spot for cloud-watching.

It just so happened that that was one of Clover and Cassie's favorite hobbies.

"What do you think that one is?" Cassie pointed up at a large white cloud off to the side in the sky.

"Hmm..." It could've been an endless possibility of things. "A fat guy walking his dog?" Clover grinned and looked sideways at her friend.

A burst of melodic laughter erupted from the other girl. Her tanned body shook with each giggle and she rolled on her stomach with a wide grin. She rested her chin on her hands and blinked her sky-blue eyes.

"Do you believe in destiny?" she asked dreamily.

Clover sat up and looked at the sky thoughtfully. "I'm not sure," she said after some time. "Maybe."

Cassie smiled. "Well you know what I think?" Clover shook her head. "I think that everyone has a beautiful destiny beyond their control. That everyone belongs in a certain place, at a certain time." She grinned at Clover with sparkling eyes. "It's fate."

Clover thought about that for a while. Destiny. Was it real?

Silently, she tilted her head to the sky and wished it was.

She turned to her best friend, giggled, and said, "Well I think that's totally cliche, even for you."

They laughed together, friends by blood, sisters by heart.

"Clover?"

Suddenly, she was back in the hallway, staring at the girl she was knew.

Cassie stepped forward, her blue eyes wide with astonishment. They were the exact same shade of sky-blue Clover remembered, just as beautiful and striking as they had been a year before. A memory of a dream flashed in her head, one where she had seen those eyes. Yes, she would remember them anywhere.

But the girl in front of Clover was otherwise a stranger.

Her hair was the same silky chestnut shade as her mother's...at least, Clover thought it was. But as Cassie walked down the hallway, her hair seemed to change colors in the light.

Her features were flawless. Perfect cheekbones, delicate heart-shaped face, and her _eyes._ Huge, doe-shaped eyes, the exact color of the sky.

The girl standing in front of her was unearthly beautiful.

"Clover? What...what are you doing here?"

Even her voice was beautiful. It was like tinkling bells, a wonderful melody.

"Clover? Clover!"

She snapped to attention. She focused directly on those blue eyes that she knew, and yet she did not recognize her former best friend, as hard as she tried.

The girl who had let Clover in let out an impatient sound. She sighed and said, "She came to the door looking for you. You know her?"

Cassie nodded. "Thanks, Deborah. Can you give a second, please? I'll be back in a moment."

Deborah huffed and dragged Sean through another door without a second glance.

Suddenly Clover realized that her mouth had been hanging open. Embarrassed, she shut it quickly as her cheeks reddened and she stared at the floor. _Who _was_ this girl? _

The Cassie that Clover had known was too shy to be giving orders like that, especially to a girl like Deborah. The Cassie that Clover had known had _certainly_ not been that unearthly beautiful. The Cassie that Clover had known-

_Well...I guess I don't know Cassie anymore. _

Cassie sighed. "Look...I think we need to talk. Why don't you join me in here?" She promptly disappeared through a door, with graceful movements.

Once inside, Cassie sat down on a huge Victorian style bed. It was rose colored, with heavy drapery on the four posters and several different blankets. The rest of the room was filled with antique bedroom furniture.

But Clover couldn't even focus on the furniture. She couldn't take her eyes off of the beautiful stranger in the room. She couldn't look at the girl and tell herself that she was Cassie.

"Clover, what are you doing here?"

Clover cleared her sandpapery throat. She opened her mouth to speak, and found that nothing came out. She ran her hands through her hair, embarrassed by her lack of speech. _Come on girl! Speak! _

Cassie folded her hands in her lap. She picked some lint off her jeans, avoiding eye contact. "I'm so happy to see you. I know I haven't communicated in a while, and I'm sorry for that." She looked up with a small smile.

"You haven't communicated at all!" Clover burst out. Her hands flew to her throat in surprise.

Cassie blinked. "Yes, well, I've been pretty busy-"

"You could have at least _called_!" Clover cried out. She went to stand in front of Cassie angrily. In a startling wave of emotion, all of the hurt feelings she had buried were being unearthed.

"I called you dozens of times! I emailed you! I _missed _you! What happened to us being best friends?" Angry tears rolled down her cheeks as she went on. "Beth and Miriam gave up on you, but I never did! Even when you vanished off the face of the earth I still considered you my best friend!" Burning anger made her heart pound, and she wiped hot tears away.

Cassie looked up at her sadly, running a hand through her perfect hair. She opened her mouth to speak, trying to figure out what to say.

Suddenly, Clover realized her outburst and her hands flew to her mouth in shock. She quietly sat down and and ran her hands along the soft comforter. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered. She couldn't believe she had blown up like that, in front of girl she didn't really _know_, even.

"Look, it wasn't like picking up and leaving was easy!" Cassie looked up, her blue eyes sad. "I wanted to say goodbye, I really did! It's just..." she trailed off.

Clover looked up at her expectantly.

"I had some family issues," she said, choosing each word carefully. "My grandmother died recently," she added quietly. Her face was mournful, but no tears came.

Clover was filled with sympathy and she embraced her. She couldn't even imagine what it would be like to lose Gram. That must have been _awful._

"I'm sorry, Cassie," she said softly.

Cassie smiled sadly. "Thanks."

They broke their embrace, sitting in a mournful silence. Clover was sorry about Cassie's grandma, but why didn't she _tell_ her? _I bet she was just upset,_ Clover told herself. _I'm sure she had good reasons to not communicate._ Although she wasn't so sure.

"Now tell me why you're here, Clover."

Cassie's face was intense. Clover sensed that something was wrong in those blue eyes. She wasn't sure what it was, but it sounded like Cassie was almost..._angry_.

"Uh-well, it was kind of my parents' idea..." Clover sputtered. Under Cassie's hard gaze she felt strangely frightened.

Cassie looked at her coldly. A hint of anger burned behind her clear eyes and fear gripped Clover.

"Why-why...what's wrong, Cassie? she whispered.

Cassie's face hardened. "What was your parent's idea?"

Clover swallowed. "They wanted me to surprise you by coming and staying in New Salem for your Spring Break," she said softly. "...Is that okay...?"

Cassie pursed her lips and sighed. "Look, it's a sweet idea, Clover-"

"I have nowhere else to go, Cassie..." she said quietly.

She looked at her coldly, with burning eyes. Clover couldn't figure out why Cassie was looking at her like that, so _coldly_. She hadn't done anything wrong.

The more Cassie hesitated, the more frightened Clover became.

It was almost like...Clover was _intruding_ in Cassie's home.

_Well I suppose I am,_ she thought worriedly. _What was my mother thinking? I knew this wasn't a good idea..._

"Fine. It's a great idea. You can stay here," Cassie said with a small smile. Clover thought she heard a hint of reluctance in here voice.

"I don't want to be a burden..."

"No!" Cassie said quickly. "It's fine, really! We have many spare rooms, so you can take your pick." Cassie stood up suddenly, a forced smile on her face.

Clover bit her lip. "Okay..." She agreed quietly.

Cassie faced her with a small smile. She looked...stressed. "I'll be back in a second, okay? I just need to handle something really quick, but I'll come back for you." Her smile tightened. "Hey, you know what? My room is actually right next to this one so why don't you take this room?" She patted the bed absently, then quickly shut the door behind her.

Clover sat down on the huge bed, staring at the ornate rug covering the hardwood floor. It was obvious that Cassie didn't want her to stay. But why? Did she do something to offend her?

Or did she just not want to even try to still be friends?

She folded her hands in her lap, playing with one of her rings. It was only two weeks. Two weeks in New Salem, and then she was out of here. It would be over before she knew it.

Suddenly she remembered Sean's hungry eyes. Maybe it wouldn't be as quick as she hoped.

Footsteps sounded in the hallway, coming closer to the door. Cassie. Everything about her was different then Clover had remembered. And now, in this strange town, in this strange house, being friends with these strange people, something was certainly odd about Cassie. It wasn't something simple like her fashion sense. No, it was something much, much bigger.

Something so big, it was frightening.

The door opened and Cassie poked her head in. "Hey, follow me!"

"Where are we going?"

Cassie smiled a real smile.

"I think you should meet my friends."


End file.
